Movie Talk A Discussion area for everything movie related including films In The Theaters

The Cell (2000)

Old 02-16-13, 12:10 PM
  #1  
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
Thread Starter
 
Osiris3657's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Denver, Colorado
Posts: 9,923
Received 273 Likes on 176 Posts
The Cell (2000)

I haven't seen The Cell, but I've always been curious about it. It seems to get very mixed reviews. It's one of those "love it or hate it" movies.

For those of you who've seen it, what are your thoughts?

I have seen Singh's other work (Immortals and The Fall). Immortals was...eh, I didn't hate it, but I can't say I liked it either. I liked The Fall, but I don't bust a nut at the mere mention of it like some people (Solid Snake).
Old 02-16-13, 12:33 PM
  #2  
DVD Talk Platinum Edition
 
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: KS
Posts: 3,204
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Re: The Cell (2000)

Visually impressive, story not so much.
Old 02-16-13, 12:36 PM
  #3  
Banned
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Formerly known as "Solid Snake PAC"/Denton, Tx
Posts: 39,239
Likes: 0
Received 4 Likes on 4 Posts
Re: The Cell (2000)

Originally Posted by Osiris3657
I haven't seen The Cell, but I've always been curious about it. It seems to get very mixed reviews. It's one of those "love it or hate it" movies.

For those of you who've seen it, what are your thoughts?

I have seen Singh's other work (Immortals and The Fall). Immortals was...eh, I didn't hate it, but I can't say I liked it either. I liked The Fall, but I don't bust a nut at the mere mention of it like some people (Solid Snake).
Heeeeeeeeeeey...

on topic: I've never seen The Cell either. I remember how crazy it looked but it just doesn't attract me. One day I'll see it out of boredom or something.
Old 02-16-13, 12:51 PM
  #4  
DVD Talk Hero
 
Troy Stiffler's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 1999
Location: Under an I-10 Overpass
Posts: 25,783
Received 362 Likes on 262 Posts
Re: The Cell (2000)

Just as good as The Fall. Like The Fall, we're given a reason for the visual absurdity. Therapist enters the mind of a captured serial killer, in attempt to locate a kidnapped women before she is killed. From there, it's a visceral experience.

If you have a hard accepting a movie like Inception, you will have a hard time accepting this. It's completely absurd and all fantasy (it's hard to call such a tool/process sci-fi). And it's all played very serious and straight.
Old 02-16-13, 12:59 PM
  #5  
Banned
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Formerly known as "Solid Snake PAC"/Denton, Tx
Posts: 39,239
Likes: 0
Received 4 Likes on 4 Posts
Re: The Cell (2000)

Originally Posted by troystiffler
Just as good as The Fall. Like The Fall, we're given a reason for the visual absurdity. Therapist enters the mind of a captured serial killer, in attempt to locate a kidnapped women before she is killed. From there, it's a visceral experience.

If you have a hard time accepting a movie like Inception, you will have a hard time accepting this. It's completely absurd and all fantasy (it's hard to call such a tool/process sci-fi). And it's all played very serious and straight.
Well Inception was pretty damn straight forward in a good way, I liked it a good bunch but it ain't the second coming of films or anything. I might give it a look now though.
Old 02-16-13, 01:12 PM
  #6  
TGM
DVD Talk Legend
 
TGM's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Massachusetts
Posts: 16,964
Received 399 Likes on 248 Posts
Re: The Cell (2000)

Decent movie weighed down by the amazingly awful miscasting of Vince and JLo. The horse scene is still one of the most WTF moments in cinematic history.
Old 02-16-13, 01:32 PM
  #7  
DVD Talk Legend
 
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Seattle, WA
Posts: 10,859
Received 215 Likes on 154 Posts
Re: The Cell (2000)

Pretty well-made, twisted movie. Visually stunning, but the darkness of it just wore me down after awhile... it's not the kind of film I can really enjoy anymore.
Old 02-16-13, 02:51 PM
  #8  
DVD Talk Hero
 
PopcornTreeCt's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2004
Posts: 25,913
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes on 2 Posts
Re: The Cell (2000)

The Fall was fucking terrible. The Cell, despite its unengaging storyline has some pretty impressive and memorable visuals.
Old 02-16-13, 02:55 PM
  #9  
DVD Talk Hero
 
Why So Blu?'s Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Los Angeles
Posts: 38,129
Received 1,177 Likes on 906 Posts
Re: The Cell (2000)

Originally Posted by PopcornTreeCt
The Fall was fucking terrible. The Cell, despite its unengaging storyline has some pretty impressive and memorable visuals.
Bullshit it was.
Old 02-16-13, 03:16 PM
  #10  
DVD Talk Legend
 
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: MA
Posts: 17,000
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes on 2 Posts
Re: The Cell (2000)

The Fall definitely suffered from Internet Overhype but I still mostly enjoyed it. The Cell was kind of meh for me.
Old 02-16-13, 03:22 PM
  #11  
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
Thread Starter
 
Osiris3657's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Denver, Colorado
Posts: 9,923
Received 273 Likes on 176 Posts
Re: The Cell (2000)

Hm interesting. I'll check it out, it's at the top of Netflix Queue.

I'm also intrigued because Roger Ebert loved it (4 stars).
Old 02-16-13, 03:54 PM
  #12  
DVD Talk Legend
 
Jules Winfield's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: wandering the earth like Caine in the Kung-Fu
Posts: 19,937
Likes: 0
Received 13 Likes on 5 Posts
Re: The Cell (2000)

I enjoyed The Fall. It's a really good movie for me. The Cell I thought had a good look but yeah, Jennifer Lopez and Vince Vaughn are bland as hell in it and they drag the movie down for me. Watch it for the visuals and a creepy Vincent D' Onofrio.
Old 02-16-13, 04:03 PM
  #13  
DVD Talk Hero
 
PhantomStranger's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: The Phantom Zone
Posts: 27,376
Received 783 Likes on 657 Posts
Re: The Cell (2000)

Originally Posted by TallGuyMe
Decent movie weighed down by the amazingly awful miscasting of Vince and JLo.
Casting definitely hurt the movie's overall impact. It's worth watching for the visuals alone, even if the typical serial killer story doesn't get you.
Old 02-17-13, 10:53 PM
  #14  
DVD Talk Hero
 
Nick Danger's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Albuquerque
Posts: 30,524
Received 1,430 Likes on 912 Posts
Re: The Cell (2000)

The Cell was an absolutely gorgeous movie. It has stuff that you've never seen before. Too bad the storyline comes straight from bad television detective shows.

On commentary track, Singh says that he had these ideas for a movie and so he hung them on a serial killer plot, because that was the plot that was selling that year. He is also highly complimentary about every actor in the cast, right down to the extras. Except J-Lo, whom he doesn't mention at all.
Old 02-17-13, 11:29 PM
  #15  
DVD Talk Legend
 
asianxcore's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: California
Posts: 20,200
Received 360 Likes on 303 Posts
Re: The Cell (2000)

Originally Posted by Ketamine
Visually impressive, story not so much.
I saw this film in theater and I still feel this way.
Old 02-17-13, 11:51 PM
  #16  
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
 
SterlingBen's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Tulsa
Posts: 7,739
Received 326 Likes on 198 Posts
Re: The Cell (2000)

It were pretty.
Old 02-18-13, 12:25 AM
  #17  
Moderator
 
story's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2000
Location: Hope.
Posts: 13,803
Received 1,829 Likes on 1,088 Posts
Re: The Cell (2000)

I saw it in college and thought the art direction and cinematography were beautiful but the constant barrage of violence toward women was hard to watch.
Old 02-18-13, 03:52 AM
  #18  
DVD Talk Ultimate Edition
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 4,017
Received 8 Likes on 6 Posts
Re: The Cell (2000)

Definitely think the Cell is a better movie because Tarsem's able to follow a paint-by-the-numbers story while adding his visuals where as the Fall doesn't have a strong narrative because it doesn't know who the main characters are.
Old 02-18-13, 06:53 AM
  #19  
DVD Talk Hero
 
Josh-da-man's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: The Bible Belt
Posts: 43,743
Received 2,676 Likes on 1,846 Posts
Re: The Cell (2000)

It would have been so much better with a stronger script and a more science-fiction-y setting.
Old 02-18-13, 09:00 PM
  #20  
DVD Talk Hero
 
Join Date: May 2001
Posts: 45,294
Received 1,011 Likes on 803 Posts
Re: The Cell (2000)

The Cell is interesting because despite not being a particularly good movie it's worth seeing, love it or hate it, it's a visually unique movie that is far more memorable than a lot of throwaway "good" movies.
Old 02-18-13, 09:06 PM
  #21  
DVD Talk Legend
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: a mile high, give or take a few feet
Posts: 14,838
Received 219 Likes on 175 Posts
Re: The Cell (2000)

Like everyone else, I thought it was awesome visually, not so awesome for the acting. Definitely worth seeing.
Old 03-24-13, 01:50 AM
  #22  
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
Thread Starter
 
Osiris3657's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Denver, Colorado
Posts: 9,923
Received 273 Likes on 176 Posts
Re: The Cell (2000)

Saw this last night...probably not the best movie to watch after you've been drinking. I honestly had no idea what the fuck was happening. Something about entering a kid's mind in order to wake him from a coma, then going into the mind of a serial killer. A lot of weird imagery in the dream sequences (just let me call them that). Vince Vaughn is somehow in this. Has he ever done any other non comedies besides this?

I'm going to bed.

Last edited by Osiris3657; 03-24-13 at 01:55 AM.
Old 03-24-13, 01:58 AM
  #23  
DVD Talk Platinum Edition
 
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Los Angeles , California
Posts: 3,596
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Re: The Cell (2000)

Originally Posted by Osiris3657
Saw this last night...probably not the best movie to watch after you've been drinking. I honestly had no idea what the fuck was happening. Something about entering a kid's mind in order to wake him from a coma, then going into the mind of a serial killer. A lot of weird imagery in the dream sequences (just let me call them that). Vince Vaughn is somehow in this. Has he ever done any other non comedies besides this?

I'm going to bed.
A Cool, Dry Place

Return to Paradise
Old 03-24-13, 02:16 AM
  #24  
DVD Talk Ultimate Edition
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 4,017
Received 8 Likes on 6 Posts
Re: The Cell (2000)

Domestic Disturbance... nevermind that's a comedy.
Old 03-24-13, 10:25 AM
  #25  
DVD Talk Hero
 
Why So Blu?'s Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Los Angeles
Posts: 38,129
Received 1,177 Likes on 906 Posts
Re: The Cell (2000)

Clay Pigeons.

Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.